POLICY CHANGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 262, 23 August 1950, Page 5

POLICY CHANGE

GERMANS MAY SEEK ARMS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY PRESIDENT (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright). BONN, August 22. Dr. Adenauer, who has a habit of making major pronouncements through statements to foreign press representatives, has suggested in an article published by the “New York Times” that the West Germans should have a police force of 250,000 men equipped with American arms, says the Dusseldorf correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” This suggestion is a decisive departure from the German Government’s and the country’s attitude on rearmament. “If the German Federal Republic formed a police force that was a match for the para-military People’s Police in the Russian zone, it would in effect possess a modern army,” says the correspondent. The correspondent says that of the 250,000 “police” 50,000 would be living in barracks as soldiers embodied in artillery, tank and infantry battalions. The force would have mach-ine-guns, anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, mortars and .tanks. “Hitherto all West German politicians except the tiny martial groups on the extreme Right have resisted all suggestions of German rearmament,” he says. “There have been various reasons for this. These include war weariness, resentment at being denied full sovereignty, and a feeling that nothing should be done that would further emphasise the unhappy division of the' Fatherland. It was felt that Western defence should be left to the Western Allies. “Dr. Adenauer’s latest statement flat against this sentiment. “It is by no means certain how far the Chancellor will carry the country with him. . The Socialists will certainly oppose him, and his own political supporters have been as much taken aback as anyone. “The spectre that haunts all Germany is that of civil war. World War--111, as far as the Germans are concerned, could begin as a war between the German ‘police’ from the two sides of the Iron Curtain. • “Quickening Pace” “Dr. Adenauer has apparently decided to look the spectre in the face. His latest pronouncement is. realised in Dusseldorf to mark an important development in the quickening pace pf world events since the Korean war began.” A report from Frankfurt says that 10,000 Germans applauded wildly when speakers at an international Socialist rally assailed proposals for German rearming. Mr Solomon Grumbach, a leading French Socialist, told the rally that rearming would destroy the new West German democracy and arouse suspicion in other countries. The occupation Powers were responsible for West Germany’s defence. Dr. Erich Ollenhauer, deputy chairman of the West German Socialists, said: “We say, ‘No,’ because remilitarisation would have political and psychological disadvantages and would serve nobody.” In Berlin to-night the Soviet zone propaganda chief, Mr Gerhart Eisler, admitted for the first time that 500,000 men in the Communist People’s Police Force of East Germany weye heavily armed. He told a Communist rally that this was because the “criminals in West Germany” had weapons. Mr Eisler’s headquarters issued a declaration that Dr. Adenauer had proved himself a traitor to Germany in asking for a West German Police force of equal strength to that of the East. (A message received yesterday stated that the West German Chancellor (Dr. Konrad Adenauer) Avill meet the Socialist Opposition Leader (Dr. Kurt Schumancher) for talks aimed at cutting down the Socialists’ stubborn resistance to'West German rearmament. Political circles in Bonn say that although a month ago both the West German Government and the Opposition were pledged to resist West German rearmament the meeting of the Atlantic Treaty Powers in London today will find the Germans more ready to accept arms than at the first conference on July 25).